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Democratic state Comptroller Alan Hevesi has decided to deal head-on with the chauffeur flap here at the New York State Association of Counties fall meeting, speaking from the podium about the issueÂ rather than wait for the inevitableÂ press gaggleÂ

He first gave a bit of history, which he said was to provide context, not as “an excuse,” reiterating the threats he has received, the fact that he also provided a city-funded driver for his wife when he was NYC comptroller (he reimbured the city for some of the cost) and that other public officials (Rudy Giuliani, when he was NYC mayor, for instance) have also received security for family members.

Hevesi also said that his wife of 39 years, Carol, has been very sick and entered a nursing home over the summer for long term care.

He said he would not apologize for trying to keep his wife safe, butÂ would do so for the fact that he did not reimburse the state for the time Nick Acquafredda, a state-funded employee spent driving her around, as the state EthicsÂ Commission said in 2003 that he should. Â

“It was irresponsible for me. It’s irresponsible, I guess for anybody, but for the comptroller of the state of New York, you know, it really was inappropriate. When the issue burst here in the last week or so, I said, ‘Oh God, I really messed up here.’ I’m going to do everything I can to make up for this,” Hevesi said.

Later, he added:

“I’m taking a pounding, and it’s well deserved.Â I apologize to the citizens,Â I apologize to you,Â I apologize to the taxpayers,Â I apologize to my family, andÂ I particularly apologize to my staff, and the reason is, boy is this a distraction from us telling the story of what we’ve done in the comptroller’s office.”

Hevesi’s office said he has written a check for $82,688.82 to the state tax department. He said there’s a “complication” in determining the percentage of time Acquafredda spent driving Carol Hevesi as opposed to doing other work, which the comptroller said was also security-releated.

Alan Hevesi’s office also has yet to provide Acquafredda’s time sheets, which the comptroller’s GOP opponent, Chris Callaghan, has demanded be publicly released.

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